Meet the Swiss teen Barcelona signed via Instagram

Sydney Schertenleib could have been forgiven for thinking she was dreaming when, sat at home in Switzerland in 2024, she received an Instagram message from reigning European champions Barcelona about a potential transfer.

The then 17-year-old had impressed for her country at the Under-17 European Championships and with club Grasshopper Zurich, making 16 appearances and scoring three goals in the Swiss top flight in the 2023-24 season.

Raul Zambrano Lozano, a journalist for diariARA, explains that Barcelona scouts were desperate to sign her, but, realising she had no agent, took to contacting her on social media to register their interest.

"Barcelona signed her via Instagram. The club sent her a message on Instagram because she had no representation. They wanted to arrange a call and ask if she wanted to play for Barcelona," he told BBC Sport NI.

"She was in her home in Switzerland and just saw a message from Barcelona come through."

From that initial contact, a move was swiftly sealed and she put pen to paper to join the Spanish giants in June 2024.

She was originally set to play for the Barcelona B team, but a strong pre-season saw her swiftly elevated to the first team.

In the two years since, she has established herself as a regular feature in the first-team and as one of Switzerland's brightest stars.

As the Swiss prepare for their final World Cup qualifying Group B2 game against Northern Ireland, BBC Sport NI looks at the rise of one of their top prospects.

After arriving in Barcelona, the versatile attacker enjoyed a strong debut season, playing 23 games and scoring three goals as the club won the Liga F title and the Spanish Super Cup.

In the 2025-26 campaign she featured in 42 games and netted eight goals as Barca claimed a domestic treble and the Women's Champions League, although Schertenleib was an unused substitute in the final in Oslo.

In a Barcelona squad brimming with top talent and still aged just 19, Schertenleib has been in and out of the team and has operated in a number of positions, something which Zambrano Lozano views as a great strength.

"She has played in a lot of positions, as a winger, in the midfield or playing more as a forward and this versatility she has is the most important thing," he added.

"It's also difficult for her because the playing style of Barca is quite peculiar. I think she performs better as a winger."

With Barcelona losing Alexia Putellas this summer and the future of some of their other attacking talents still uncertain, more opportunities may come Schertenleib's way next season.

Zambrano Lozano hopes with another pre-season under her belt and a second year understanding what head coach Pere Romeu demands, she can enjoy a more consistent run in the team.

"Pere Romeu always says good things about her although she is not playing so many minutes. She is a very talented player, is so young and needs to adapt to Barca's style," he said.

"Now there's going to be a lot of exits, Sydney needs to make the step further and become a more important player. She has the quality and the attitude. I think she will be one of their important players in the future."

For Switzerland, Schertenleib is already a key player. She has 26 caps and has scored five goals, featuring for her country at Euro 2025 which was played on home soil.

She is now working under Rafel Navarro at national team level, a coach she knows well as he spent six years as an assistant coach at Barcelona.

Northern Ireland have a task on their hands to stop Schertenleib, who featured in the 2-0 win in Lausanne in March and has played in all five of their qualifiers, scoring in their 6-1 thrashing of Malta on Friday.

Switzerland top the group with four wins and a draw from their five games securing their play-off spot for next year's tournament in Brazil, while they also have a chance to gain promotion to League A with a win at Mourneview Park.

With the team built around her, Zambrano Lozano believes that Schertenleib thrives for the national team as a left-sided midfielder in a three.

"The coach at Switzerland until November was at Barcelona so he knows Sydney very well.

"Switzerland's style is more direct and different and it's better for Sydney. She is so fast and with space that she gets she is able to perform better."